Aid agencies blast the West as ‘awareness’ levels plummet

In an unprecedented press release today, a spokesperson representing the African Union and a conglomeration of aid agencies criticised the West’s ‘myopic focus on food and medical supplies, to the detriment of raising awareness and painting murals’.

‘In the past we received a steady supply of gap-year students and celebrities’ said a spokesman. ‘We began to tackle the core issues that are holding back out continent, namely mural-less walls, children who have never appeared on western television and a dangerous scarcity of backpackers.’

‘Now this vital support has declined in favour of more ‘trendy’ schemes such as food, building wells, malaria nets and education. Without charity bashes, celebrity visits and pop singles, soon even our own people are in danger of becoming unaware of our problems.’

Jonty Rutland, head of UK student charity ‘Banter’ added ‘two years ago we travelled to Capetown to help out in bars and play cricket. Now we’re doing ‘practical’ things, like raising £112.52 by dressing up as nurses, nearly some of which was used to help dig a well. Have you seen those mural-less walls though? It breaks my heart.’